Team:MoWestern Davidson/team

Summary

Our team is an interdisciplinary group composed of biology and mathematics subgroups collaborating between two different campuses, Missouri Western State University (MO) and Davidson College (NC). Missouri Western State University (MWSU) and Davidson College are 1,032 miles/1,660 km apart, so our collaboration involves cyber meetings, wiki postings, [http://www.wiggio.com/ Wiggio] shared space, [http://www.skype.com/ Skype] communication, and two campus site-visits.

During the first week of our 10 week project, MWSU traveled to Davidson for 5 days to determine what our project would be. During week 10, Davidson traveled to MWSU to produce the wiki, PPT and poster.

Our campuses have no graduate students or postdocs. Our team is composed of 1 high school student and 13 undergraduates majoring in biology, chemistry, mathematics, art, psychology, secondary mathematics education as well as some who have not declared their majors yet. We have sophomores, juniors, and seniors on our team.

[http://www.davidson.edu/ Biographies]

Romina Clemente

• Year: Sophomore
• Major: Under Construction
• Hometown: Canton, OH
• Contact: roclemente@davidson.edu

I like tasty shakes, fuzzy little man peaches, and breadsticks that have no rhythm. I'm also a big fan of playing tennis, Roger Federer, and his new twin baby girls.

Clifton Davis

• Year: Senior
• Major: Biology
• Hometown: St. Joseph, MO
• Contact: cdavis21@missouriwestern.edu

I like to run. I like to watch football. And of course I like absolutely love synthetic biology.

Olivia Ho-Shing

• Year: Senior
• Major: Biology, Genomics concentration
• Hometown: Bloomfield, CT
• Contact: olhoshing@davidson.edu

I enjoy growing herbs and fuzzy cacti, cross country running, watching indie and classic Disney films, and juggling. I've also been known to work in thoroughly exciting research labs.

Shamita Punjabi

• Year: Sophomore
• Major: Chemistry with a concentration in Harry Potter
• Hometown: Denver, CO
• Contact: shpunjabi@davidson.edu

I am obsessed with everything Harry Potter related. However, I also enjoy Disney, reading, Indian dancing, watching Bollywood movies, Chemistry, singing with my a cappella group, dance music, imitating people/objects, and working in the lab!

Eric Sawyer

• Year: High School Senior
• Major: Biology...someday...
• Hometown: Saint Joseph, MO
• Contact: eric.sawyer@hotmail.com

I have learned a lot from working alongside university students, and can't wait to go to college myself! This past summer I discovered that I really like research, especially concerning molecular and synthetic biology.

Ashley Schnoor

• Year: Senior
• Major: Math Education
• Hometown: Kansas City, MO
• Contact: aschnoor1@missouriwestern.edu

I enjoy hanging out with friends and spending time with family. I love to watch movies and play board games. Other than spending time at school working on math and biology, I am in the university choir and love to sing!

Siya Sun

• Year: Senior
• Major: Math
• Hometown: Sichuan, China
• Contact:ssun@missouriwestern.edu

I like to play the violin. I also like to draw. Math is cool.

Shashank Suresh

• Year: Sophomore
• Major: Mathematics
• Hometown: Charlotte, NC
• Contact: shsuresh@davidson.com

I enjoy puns and clever quips, Indian classical music, mathematics, and making fun of people.

Bryce Szczepanik

• Year: Senior
• Major: Biology
• Hometown: St. Joseph, MO
• Contact: brs3298@missouriwestern.edu

I am busy all the time. I like warm weather, but Christmas time is the most wonderful time of the year. I enjoy playing golf. I am very excited about dentistry and apply to UMKC dental school in the spring. I graduate from Missouri Western State University in May of 2010 and can't wait to see what happens next!

Leland Taylor

• Year: Sophomore
• Major: Bioinformatics
• Hometown: Gainesville, GA
• Contact: letaylor@davidson.edu

When I am not in the lab, I enjoy fly-fishing, hiking, sailing, ultimate frisbee, and being with my KA fraternity brothers.

Annie Temmink

• Year: Junior
• Major: Fine Arts and Mathematics
• Hometown: Charlottesville, VA
• Contact: antemmink@davidson.edu

A welding and sculpture enthusiast, I also enjoy playing volleyball and most obscure sports and untying knots in 4D. I hope to continue with studies of mathematics philosophy and art.

Alyndria Thompson

• Year: Junior
• Major: Biology, Minor Chemistry; Univ. Arkansas at Pine Bluff
• Hometown: Pine Bluff, AR
• Contact:thompsa8891@stuwebmail.uapb.edu

I love crocheting, watching movies, listening to or playing ALL types of music, and laughing at pickle jokes that a buddy of mine shares!

William Vernon

• Year: Senior
• Major: Biotechnology
• Hometown: Middletown DE

Contact: wvernon@missouriwestern.edu

I like to watch professional e-sports in my spare time, especially Starcraft and DotA. I love spending time with my wife and daughter and teaching my two year old how to say big words like photosynthesis. Oh, and I like synthetic biology.

Dr. A.M. Campbell

• Year: Very Senior
• Major: Biology
• Hometown: Little Rock, AR; now Davidson, NC
• Contact: macampbell@davidson.edu

I enjoy working with undergraduates, providing them with an opportunity to learn and watching them exceed their own expectations.

Dr. Todd Eckdahl

• Year: Extremely Senior
• Hometown: Elk River, Minnesota
• Contact: eckdahl@missouriwestern.edu

Conducting synthetic biology research with undergraduates is the most fun I have ever had doing research. I love helping students to work together as a team, explore their creativity, and contribute to the growing synthetic biology research community.

Dr. Laurie Heyer

• Year: More senior than you might think
• Major: Math with a concentration in Bioinformatics
• Hometown: Azle, TX; now Davidson, NC
• Contact: laheyer@davidson.edu

I love learning alongside undergraduates, finding new ways that math and biology connect, and hanging out with the team. In my day job, I enjoy teaching calculus, probability, and bioinformatics.

Dr. Jeff Poet

• Year: Less senior than some
• Major: Combinatorial mathematics
• Hometown: Longmont, CO originally, currently St. Jo, MO
• Contact: poet@missouriwestern.edu

My academic interests include leading students in research by example ... nothing like letting the chalkdust fly. Outside of work, interests include spending time with my wife and eight kids, and arranging handbell pieces for the family handbell choir to play.